Pulau Semakau

Last week, my friends and I went to Pulau Semakau. Unlike other islands, Pulau Semakau is a restricted area, and you must go with an NEA approved organization to enter Pulau Semakau.

I went to Pulau Semakau with a bird watching group - Nature Trekker.


There are generally 5 things to do at Pulau Semakau
Stargazing
Bird Watching
InterTidal Walk
Nature Trekking
Educational Tour- Learn about Singapore's waste process

According to the Nature Trekker's guide, groups usually only do one of the above activity. However at Nature Trekker, I was able to do Bird Watching and the Educational Tour.

Some quick facts and interest groups recommended by NEA to get to Semakau http://www.nea.gov.sg/cms/wmd/SL%20Brochure.pdf


We took a ferry from Marina South Pier. On the way, we saw Pulau Jong. A mushroom island which is apparently a great place for divers.

Pulau Jong

Layout of Pulau Semakau

Pulau Semakau landfill was actually 2 separate island- Pulau Semakau and Pulau Sakeng. However, it was joined together to form what it is today.

For Bird watchers, you may expect to see shore birds ranging from the common one to the less seen ones. Some of the birds sighted were the Malaysian Plover, Common Redshank and the Yellow Billed Egret. Don't worry if you are a newbie to birds like me! This is because if you are going with an organised group, there will be people who will guide you along.

 For bird watching, you will seat on the bus which will take you down P. Semakau and you can snap pictures and look at the birds with your binos. I guess by placing us in the bus it not only makes the vast Semakau less tiring, I suppose it also makes us less prominent to the birds so that we can capture them without flying away should they hear our footsteps.

It is highly advisable to bring along your binoculars especially if you are going to watch birds. At one point of time, out guide brought us into a trail to take photos. I guess thats the place nature trekkers will take. BEWARE! There will be mosquitoes everywhere. You will feel mosquitoes flying all around you similar to the feeling of walking through spider webs!

Find the black Yellow Billed Egret!

Shortly after our bird watching segment of our trip, we progressed on our educational tour on waste management.
Simply put ( if understood correctly lol) trash will be transferred to places where they will burn to ashes. This is then transported to Semakau via the tug boat below where amazingly 10 percent of the total tonnes of waste will be dumped( after recycling etc)

Huge tugboat

Truck carrying your trash in the form of ashes!

How To Get To Pulau Semakau?

You have to go via an established group

ie: Nature Trekker (Bird watching): http://www.naturetrekker.org/

or via

http://www.nea.gov.sg/cms/wmd/SL%20Brochure.pdf